Understanding ARM Architecture and Processors
2. ARM Architecture and ProcessorsARM does not manufacture silicon devices. Instead, ARM creates microprocessor designs that are licensed to semiconductor companies and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), who integrate them into system-on-chip (SoC) devices.To ensure compatibility between different implementations, ARM defines architectural specifications that dictate how compliant products should behave. Processors implementing the ARM architecture must conform to specific versions of the architecture.The ARM architecture supports implementations across a very wide range of performance points. Its simplicity allows for very small implementations, enabling very low power consumption.The Cortex-A series processors covered in this book conform to the ARMv7-A architecture. There may also be multiple processors with different internal implementations and microarchitectures that have different cycle times and clock frequencies but conform
